Track bolt tightener



Jan- 26, 1954 D. c. NICHOLS TRACK BOLT TIGHTENER Filed NOV. 2, 1950 r MH e U In.

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Patented Jan. 26, 1954 TRACK BOLT TIGHTENER Dan C. Nichols, Houston,Tex., assignor of onethird to Ralph L. Moss and one-third to R. H.Russell, both of Johnson City, Tenn.

Application November 2, 1950, Serial No. 193,589

2 Claims. l

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in lock washers,nuts and the like and the primary object of the present invention is toprovide a track bolt tightener.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide a devicefor retaining rail bars firmly against a rail to keep the abutting endsof rails aligned and on the same level in order to reduce rail-wear andwear on wheels of rolling stock.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a track bolttightener that is quickly and readily applied to or removed from thetrack bolts of a rail to retain rail bars pressed irmly against thesides oi a rail and thereby reduce the battering effect on ties and roadbed.

A still further aim of the present invention is to provide a track Ibolttightener that is extremely simple and practical in construction, strongand reliable in use, convenient to install and service, inexpensive tomanufacture, and otherwise well adapted for the purposes for which thesame is intended.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein likenumerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure l but showing the outer plateremoved and the housing niember in section and taken in the plane ofsection line 2-2 of Figure 3;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on the planeof section line 3 3 of Figure l; and,

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the housing member forming part of thepresent invention.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, wherein for the purpose ofillustration, there is disclosed a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention, the numerals 50 and 52 represent inner and outer dat carbonsteel plates. 50 and 52 are provided with central key shaped slots 56 toaccommodate the head of a rail bolt 56 and thereby permit the device tobe used on either end of the bolt.

The downwardly and inwardly tapering grooves 58 in the inner face of theplate 56 register with similar grooves 60 in the inner face of the plate52 and the registering grooves receive Wedge pins or tapered strips 62.

An elongated housing member 64 is mounted on the upper edge of the plate50 and includes an open bottom into which the upper major ends of thepins 62 project. An elongated spring 66 in the housing member 64overlies the pins 62 and its ends contact the upper ends of the pins 62.

2 A partition 68 in the housing member 64 engages and depresses thecentral portion of the spring 66 and causes the spring to iiex and urgethe pins 62 into the grooves 58, 60. The upper ends l0 of the pins 62are rounded to reduce friction between the spring and the pins.

The housing member 64 may obviously be formed with the plate 50 or 52.The member 64 is disposed at an angle of approximately ve degrees withthe plates 50, 52.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. For use with track bolts that secure rail bars upon a track rail, aself tightening lock washer comprising a pair of juxtapositioned plateshaving central registering openings for receiving a bolt, said platesincluding inner vertical faces, the inner face of each plate having apair of elongated tapered vertical grooves therein, the grooves in oneplate being in registry with the grooves in the other plate, a wedge pinreceived in each registering pair of grooves, an elongated housingmember iixed to the upper edge of one of said plates and overlying bothpins, an elongated spring in the member engaging both pins, and apartition in the member engaging the central portion of the spring toflex the latter.

2. For use with track bolts that secure rail bars upon a track rail, aself tightening lock washer comprising a pair of juxtapositioned plateshaving central registering openings for receiving a bolt, said platesincluding inner vertical faces, the inner face of each plate having apair of elongated tapered vertical grooves therein, the grooves in oneplate being in registry with the grooves in the other plate, a wedge pinreceived in each registering pair of grooves, an elongated open bottomedhousing member xed to the upper edge of one of the plates and overlyingthe upper edges of both plates, a leaf spring housed in the member, saidpins having upper ends extending upwardly into the member through theopen bottom thereof, the ends of the spring engaging the upper ends ofthe pins, and a partition iixed in said member engaging and depressingthe central portion of the spring and forcing the ends of the springagainst the upper ends of the pins.

DAN C. NICHOLS.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 430,404 Pritschau June 17, 1890 846,440 Adams Mar. 12, 19071,205,254 Pearson Nov. 21, 1916 1,234,020 Harp July 17, 1917 1,614,221Westbrook Jan. 1l, 1927 2,144,327 Campion Jan, 17, 1939

